Nail enamel composition containing a urea-modified thixotropic agent

Abstract

A nail enamel composition which contains, in a cosmetically acceptable solvent, at least one film-forming substance and at least one urea-modified thixotropic agent. The use of such a thixotropic agent gives nail enamel compositions with higher gloss, high clarity, improved aesthetics in the bottle, excellent thixotropic properties, and improved application properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A nail enamel composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable solvent: at least one film-forming substance and   at least one urea-modified thixotropic agent, wherein said at least one urea-modified thixotropic agent is a urea urethane having the following formula:   R--O--CO--NH--R'--NH--CO--NH--R"--NH--CO--NH--R'--NH--CO--OR        wherein:   R represents C n  H 2n+1  -- or C m  H 2m+1  (C p  H 2p  O) r  --;   n represents an integer having a value of from 4 to 22;   m represents an integer having a value of from 1 to 18;   p represents an integer having a value of from 2 to 4;   r represents an integer having a value of from 1 to 10;   R' represents: ##STR5##  and R" represents: ##STR6##   
     
     
       2. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, said nail enamel composition further comprising at least one plasticizer. 
     
     
       3. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, said nail enamel composition further comprising an additional film-forming substance. 
     
     
       4. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, said nail enamel composition further comprising an additional thixotropic agent. 
     
     
       5. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, said nail enamel composition further comprising at least one coloring agent. 
     
     
       6. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, wherein said at least one film-forming substance is selected from nitrocellulose, other celluloses derivatives, resins, polyesters, and (meth)acrylic and vinyl copolymers. 
     
     
       7. A nail enamel composition according to claim 6, wherein said cellulose derivatives are selected from cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and ethyl cellulose, said resins are selected from alkyd resins, polyvinyl resins, and polyurethane resins, and said meth(acrylic and vinyl copolymers are selected from acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymers, styrene/butadiene copolymers, acrylate/vinyl acetate copolymers, and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers. 
     
     
       8. A nail enamel composition according to claim 7, wherein said polyvinyl resins are polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl butyrate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       9. A nail enamel composition according to claim 6, wherein said at least one film-forming substance is nitrocellulose. 
     
     
       10. A nail enamel composition according to claim 3, wherein said additional film-forming substance is cellulose acetate butyrate, a polyester, a polyurethane, an acrylate, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       11. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, further comprising a modifier for said at least one film-forming substance, wherein said modifier is an arylsulfonamide resin. 
     
     
       12. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, wherein said cosmetically acceptable solvent is an alkyl acetate, toluene, xylene, a ketone, an alkane, an alkyl alcohol, a glycol ether, N-methyl pyrrolidone, an alkyl lactate, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       13. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, wherein said alkyl acetate is an ethyl acetate or butyl acetate, or a mixture thereof; said ketone is acetone or methyl ethyl ketone or a mixture thereof; said alkane is hexane or heptane or a mixture thereof; and   said alkyl alcohol is ethanol, isopropanol, or butanol or a mixture thereof.   
     
     
       14. A nail enamel composition according to claim 2, wherein said at least one plasticizer is dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, tricresyl phthalate, butyl phthlate, dibutoxy ethyl phthalate, diamylphthalate, tosyl amide, N-ethyltosylamide, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, camphor, castor oil, citrate ester, glyceryl diester, glyceryl triester, tri-phenyl phosphate, butyl glycolate, benzyl benzoate, tributyl phosphate, butyl acetyl ricinoleate, butyl stearate, and dibutyl tartrate or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       15. A nail enamel composition according to claim 14, wherein said at least one plasticizer is a mixture of acetyl tributyl citrate and N-ethyl tosylamide. 
     
     
       16. A nail enamel composition according to claim 4, wherein said additional thixotropic agent is stearalkonium hectorite. 
     
     
       17. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, wherein: said cosmetically acceptable solvent is present in an amount of from about 40% to about 80% by weight relative to the weight of the composition,   said at least one film-forming substance is present in an amount of from about 5% to about 20% by weight relative to the weight of the composition,   said at least one plasticizer is present in an amount of from about 3% to about 12% by weight relative to the weight of the composition, and   said at least one urea-modified thixotropic agent is present in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.40% relative to the weight of the composition.   
     
     
       18. A nail enamel composition according to claim 17, wherein said at least one urea-modified thixotropic agent is present in an amount of from about 0.25 to about 0.35% relative to the weight of the composition. 
     
     
       19. A nail enamel composition according to claim 17, wherein said nail enamel composition comprises from about 0.10 to about 0.30% of said at least one urea-modified thixotropic agent relative to the weight of the composition and up to about 1% of an additional thixotropic agent. 
     
     
       20. A nail enamel composition according to claim 1, wherein said nail enamel composition further comprises at least one cosmetically active compound selected from vitamins, minerals, moisturizers, hardening agents, UV absorbers and fibers.